Crosswind landings question

[alb469]

What is best for control, auto rudder on or off.

[Nexus]

What exactly does the autorudder do?
I always been told it's good for beginners, but if you want to kick out the aircraft from the crab (if you choose crabbing) at around 100-75ft RA, I suggest you have manual control of the rudder.

[beaky]

Autorudder only moves the rudder in such a way as to keep the ball centered. If you try to slip with it on, you'll just head off in the direction of bank.
I don't use it, but if I had to use only keyboard to control rudder, I'd be lost.

[ashaman]

Even if you don't use crabbing to land in crosswind, having a different controller for the rudder in a moment like the landing can aid you a lot.

I, having learned to land crosswind on liners (simulated), almost never crab (I don't feel comfortable using it), but keep the nose on the wind, and at the last moment (a little before flaring) realign myself to the runway using the rudder.

So usually I use the Yaw Damper (I gave it a keyboard shortcut too, for easier reach) to keep my plane coordinated while cruising and shut it off on landing, for better directional control. This at least while I fly liners, flying little planes like the cessna I only use foot-operated rudder.

[Nav]

alb469, if you have a two-axis joystick you should certainly leave autorudder on. It automatically coordinates ailerons and rudder in a turn and it also allows you to steer on the ground (and keep straight on the takeoff run) by moving the stick directly sideways.

If you have a force-feedback stick with 'twist' (or rudder pedals) autorudder will automatically be switched off - and should be left that way, otherwise the rudder functions (twist or pedals) won't work.

When landing in a crosswind, you have a choice of two methods. The first, 'crabbing', simply consists of pointing the aircraft's nose far enough up wind to counteract the wind and stay in line with the runway; straightening out at the last minute. This is the only method available with a two-axis stick.

The second is 'crossing the controls' - dropping a wing slightly into the wind and countering the tendency to turn with the rudder; so in this case you LEVEL out at the last minute.

[alb469]

Thanks for the help. We have been doing practice landings with an HJG 707. Because we have no joystick {Never found one I liked} it is strictly keypad. From reading the answers it appears that auto rudder is on during T/O and cruise and off during landing using a crab.

[garymbuska]

If you want to make your simming experience as real as you can I suggest you invest in a joystick that has a rudder control, it does not have to be real fancy just a basic controller will work fine.
Once you have some means other than the keyboard to control the rudder with turn off auto rudder. Trying to land in a stiff crosswind without a rudder is allmost impossable.
Joysticks are not that expensive unless you want feedback.
I use the CHPRO PEDDLES best money I ever spent but that is just me. I saved up for them.

[alb469]

Thanks for the tip Gary.Thats a joystick we have never heard of.  Where  would you get one and are they available in Canada?

[beaky]

The Saitek X45 has a joystick and throttle; there's a rudder bar on the throttle handle. Not as good as pedals, but it works great.
Cheap, too- mine was under $80 US.
The new version, the X52, is very nice, but my X45 is holding up nicely after almost two years; very happy with it.